This is kinda off topic for this topic but in the same vein.
I found out last year that my identity had been stolen. I posted about it here when I found out about it but I'd like to tell the end of the tail just to let folks know how out government deals with this.
Found out thru a letter from the IRS that income tax report had been filed in my name, ss# and address off my drivers license. I kinda laughed it off but called them anyway, thinking it was a mistake on their part. No mistake. Someone had my information and filed and income tax return for a refund of around $6000.
Did I get any kind of information from the IRS? No. Did they give me any information about what was found out in the investigation? No. Did they offer to help me with any repercussions from this? No. I was told that they could not give me any information regarding the investigation because it was - wait for it - PRIVATE!!! I didn't file the return so I couldn't get one piece of information about it. My name, my social security number, my address but I couldn't get any info. I can't even file criminal charges because they won't tell me anything.
The government handles identity theft just like they do the 'war on drugs'. They like to spout a lot of BS about how they take it so seriously but it's just a load of BS. They don't give a fat rat's ass what problems are caused by this and they sure a heck won't help you out.
In my own digging around I found that most likely the tax return was filed by an inmate. Seems like this is a booming business in the US. Someone outside gets your info and sells it to an inmate in prision. They in turn file electronically, therefore no need for paper tax information.
Having some idea of how IP address work and that they can be traced and pinpointed, I know dang good and well they know where this originated and pretty much who. I was under the impression that when you became a inmate, you lost most of your rights, the first of which is privacy but guess I was wrong.
Sorry about the rant and the off topic, but it just pisses me off that something like this can happen and then the law enforcement/government just blows it off.